Faces of BFY - Pei Si

Ok, so I am featuring myself this week LOL. But the point is, registration for the camp is now OPEN! So what are you waiting for? Sign up at http://bit.ly/pushingboundaries_4 NOW! :D

"Last week was the most hectic week for the whole semester. On Friday, I was rushing my essay due that evening and realised that I would be late for my afternoon class. I asked for help on the class WhatsApp chat if anyone could help me display my models for marking which I had left in the room, as I had to submit models for that class. My classmate decided to help me very spontaneously and even helped to write my name on the models. It is really great to see how in my class, people really look out for each other and help each other out with such simple acts of kindness, and if anyone is printing notes or buying materials we will ask around to see who else needs them."

- Pei Si

Faces of BFY - Samantha

Registration for the camp is now OPEN! So what are you waiting for? Sign up at http://bit.ly/pushingboundaries_4 NOW! :D

“Life touches my heart everyday I care to let it. Those moments I choose to step back are always the most beautiful moments of all. It is hard to put it down in words but when I put aside my cares, worries, plans, regrets... I get a glimpse of true happiness in living. Just for that moment. As of now I am on the train, watching people around me. Everyone is busy travelling to their destination but presently we are on this journey together. Children, adults and elderly. People of all sorts. Our destination is eminent but as of now, now matters. And now is beautiful. The only difference in life is that we won’t know when we alight but as my favourite quote goes; ‘We're all travelling through time together, every day of our lives, all we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable ride.’ ”

- Samantha

Faces of BFY - Sze Yuan

Registration for the camp is now OPEN! So what are you waiting for? Sign up at http://bit.ly/pushingboundaries_4 NOW! :D

"I seem to be meeting many visually-impaired people at bus stops or on buses recently. Today, I met this middle-aged man in the morning again as I was waiting for my bus to an 8am lecture. It is the 3^rd Monday I’ve met him in a row, it seems that our routines just happen to coincide at that time.

During the first Monday, I made conversation with him and offered to tell him when his bus came. However that meant missing my bus and I was late for lecture. Hence during our subsequent meetings I just took it upon me to attach him to someone at the bus stop taking the same bus so that it was a win-win situation.

Last Saturday while making my way to BF for the Lantern festival, I came across another visually-impaired commuter, this time on the bus. I approached him offering my assistance, but he surprised me by politely saying he was fine without help.

I found out that he normally pays attention to a certain hump on the road, which would tell him that his stop is coming up next. For other destinations, he will feel for other things, like a particular right turn and so on. I was really impressed by the level of mindfulness on display, and was touched by their immense will to be independent and to live life well. :)

This touched my heart most today. I was sitting at a bench in NUS doing my work when I saw a middle-aged man mopping the floor. In a moment of carelessness, he kicked over his pail of water by accident and had to clean it up.

The scene was juxtaposed against the whole university scene, which is one of youthful exuberance and life. The sharp contradiction jolted me into realizing there are unsung heroes who support our way of life. I find their efforts very heartening and inspiring.

Kindness to me is not harming any sentient beings, wanting only to bring happiness to them – both in thoughts and actions.

I used to have many opinions about our society.

At certain times, I would think that Singaporeans are really inconsiderate (not picking up litter), impatient (on public transport), and rude (to waiters etc.) amongst other things. Though I don’t air them out, I would just satisfy myself by thinking about all the things our society could improve in.

Other times however, I would hold the opinion that things aren’t that bad, that I see people giving up seats, waiting for their turn to board the bus and all.

After many cycles of the above, it just dawned on me that things are just the way they are, it’s the lens I choose to wear that affects my perception – which isn’t the truth.

I think that when we look outwards and think about how things “should be”, it is no longer Dhamma. Realizing such, I drop the whole endeavour of trying to judge society. Instead, I strive to be the Singaporean I hope to see in society. Not to say that I am doing this perfectly, but it’s a direction I constantly walk towards." :)

- Sze Yuan

PB4 September Instagram Competition

Don't you just love Trendy T-shirts?

In lieu of our PUSHING BOUNDARIES 4 YOUTH CAMP THIS DECEMBER, we want to present you the chance to win this UNIQUELY One-of-a-Kind T-Shirt THIS SEPTEMBER! (:



Simply follow these FEW steps on Instagram TODAY and stand a chance to win! Only ONE lucky winner so what are you waiting for? 

Contest ends on 30 SEPTEMBER!

30 September 2014- Maintaining your composure and momentum through hard times by Brother tai wee

Last Saturday, we had the pleasure of inviting Bro Tai Wee to give a talk about maintaining your determination through thick and thin. Bro Tai wee begun his talk by highlighting how goal-setting can serve as a strong point of motivation and encouragement in spurring one forward. However, when one is able to achieve success, failures still come despite having the best plans laid. This has the impact of creating doubt within one’s mind. Instead of doing so, one should look out for potential mistakes and issues which were done in the process. He then went on to give an example of the Buddha’s determination to continue on his practice despite the difficulty and problems in it. In many of our failures, 2 mistakes tend to be the most prevalent – going through the ascetic path (which as many of you will know led to failure in the Buddha’s case) and not going through with the planned schedule. For laymen like us, application and intention are key in executing these plans since they can be applied anywhere and synergises well with diligence. By focusing on these key factors, our actions will be subtlety changed by our worldly view and it can change for the better in the long run. In short, keeping a positive uplook and maintaining one’s determination in things will help us in achieving our goals, despite them being difficult ones.

Faces of BFY - Kai Xin

Hey guys, for September the theme for Faces of BFY is loving kindness! See if you can guess the question for this week! :)
Register your interest for our BFY Pushing Boundaries 4 camp (20-23 Dec) at http://tinyurl.com/qe6a7oj NOW and be the first to receive updates! :)

"We are all part of nature's ecosystem, interconnected. However insignificant or indirect it may seem, every living being is contributing to our growth and happiness every moment. Respecting all living beings is respecting nature and that too means respecting our own lives. Every life is precious. Harming or killing are based on deep seated greed/hatred/delusion. Carrying out such actions brings about negativity in oneself and distances ourselves from peace. We are all looking for happiness and peace right? :)  

I respect other beings by hanging around admirable & spiritual friends. I also take the precepts which act as a good reminder of the importance of mental development which later then translate to wholesome thoughts, speech and actions :) e.g. being non-judgmental, giving more and taking less, appreciating others and embracing their weaknesses, and keeping an open heart and mind when interacting with all beings."

- Kai Xin